This one pan sour cream and onion chicken is creamy, savory, and packed with the familiar flavor of everyone’s favorite sour cream and onion potato chips. Tender chicken breasts are cooked in a rich onion and sour cream sauce, then finished with crushed sour cream and onion chips for an irresistible salty crunch.
Everything comes together in one skillet in about 30 minutes, making this easy chicken dinner perfect for busy weeknights. Serve it over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles to soak up every spoonful of the creamy sauce.
More Easy Chicken Recipes to Try
Why You’ll Love This Sour Cream and Onion Chicken
There is a lot to love about this simple skillet chicken recipe.
- Made entirely in one pan
- Ready in about 30 minutes
- Uses simple, inexpensive ingredients
- Creamy without using canned soup
- Loaded with savory onion flavor
- Finished with crunchy sour cream and onion potato chips
- Easy enough for a weeknight but delicious enough for company
The crushed chips make this dish especially fun. They add another layer of sour cream and onion flavor while giving the creamy chicken a much-needed crunchy finish.
Ingredients for One Pan Sour Cream and Onion Chicken
Here is what you will need to make this creamy chicken dinner:
- Chicken breasts: Use thin chicken breast cutlets so they cook quickly and evenly.
- Sour cream: Full-fat sour cream creates the smoothest, richest sauce.
- Sour cream and onion potato chips: Crushed and sprinkled over the finished chicken for extra flavor and crunch.
- Yellow onion: Thinly sliced and cooked until soft and lightly golden.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic adds plenty of savory flavor.
- Chicken broth: Forms the base of the skillet sauce.
- Dijon mustard: Adds subtle tang and keeps the sauce from tasting too heavy.
- Onion powder: Intensifies the sour cream and onion flavor.
- Garlic powder: Seasons the chicken and complements the sauce.
- Butter and olive oil: Used to brown the chicken and sauté the onions.
- Fresh chives: Add color and a fresh onion flavor.
- Salt and black pepper: Use these to season the chicken to taste.
How to Make Sour Cream and Onion Chicken
1. Season the chicken
Pat the chicken cutlets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
2. Brown the chicken
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and loosely cover it to keep warm.
3. Cook the onions
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced onion to the same skillet and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
4. Make the creamy sauce
Pour in the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the Dijon mustard and onion powder.
Let the broth simmer for 2 to 3 minutes so it can reduce slightly.
5. Add the sour cream
Reduce the heat to low. Place the sour cream in a small bowl and whisk in a few spoonfuls of the warm skillet liquid. This gently warms the sour cream and helps prevent it from separating.
Stir the warmed sour cream mixture into the skillet until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Do not allow the sauce to boil after adding the sour cream.
6. Return the chicken to the skillet
Place the chicken back into the skillet along with any juices collected on the plate. Spoon the creamy onion sauce over the chicken and let everything warm together for 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Add the crunchy topping
Just before serving, sprinkle the chicken generously with crushed sour cream and onion potato chips and chopped fresh chives.
What to Serve With Sour Cream and Onion Chicken
This creamy chicken is especially delicious served with something that can soak up the sauce. Try it with:
For the ultimate comfort-food dinner, serve the chicken over mashed potatoes with green beans on the side.
PrintEasy One Pan Sour Cream and Onion Chicken
This easy one pan sour cream and onion chicken features tender chicken breasts simmered in a rich, creamy onion sauce. Crushed sour cream and onion potato chips and fresh chives add the perfect salty, crunchy finish.
- Prep Time: 10 MINUTES
- Cook Time: 25 MINUTES
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 SERVINGS 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: STOVETOP
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 4 thin boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoons onion powder, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¾ cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 cup roughly crushed sour cream and onion potato chips
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Pat the chicken cutlets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon of the onion powder.
- Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Place the chicken in the skillet in a single layer. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the center reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate and loosely cover it to keep warm.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the sliced onion to the same skillet.
- Cook the onion for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for approximately 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Pour in the chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Stir in the Dijon mustard and remaining ½ teaspoon of onion powder. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes so the liquid can reduce slightly.
- Reduce the heat to low. Place the sour cream in a small bowl and whisk in approximately ¼ cup of the warm liquid from the skillet.
- Slowly stir the tempered sour cream mixture into the skillet until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Do not allow the sauce to boil.
- Return the chicken and any collected juices to the skillet. Spoon the sauce and onions over the chicken and cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until warmed through.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Immediately before serving, sprinkle the crushed sour cream and onion potato chips and chopped chives over the chicken.
- Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice with additional sauce spooned over the top.
Notes
- Thin chicken breast cutlets cook faster and more evenly than thick chicken breasts.
- If using large chicken breasts, slice them horizontally to create thinner cutlets.
- Full-fat sour cream produces the richest and most stable sauce.
- Keep the heat low after adding the sour cream. Boiling can cause the sauce to separate.
- Add the crushed potato chips immediately before serving so they stay crunchy.
- If the sauce becomes too thick, stir in additional chicken broth one tablespoon at a time.
- Keep leftover crushed chips separate from the chicken and add them after reheating.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Tips for the Best Creamy Chicken
Use thin chicken cutlets
Thin chicken cutlets cook more evenly and quickly than thick chicken breasts. If necessary, slice large chicken breasts in half horizontally.
Keep the heat low
Sour cream can separate if it becomes too hot. Lower the heat before stirring it into the sauce and avoid bringing the finished sauce to a boil.
Temper the sour cream
Mixing a little warm broth into the sour cream before adding it to the skillet helps create a smooth sauce.
Add the chips immediately before serving
Do not add the crushed potato chips too early. They should be sprinkled over the chicken at the very end so they remain crisp and crunchy.
Do not clean the skillet
The golden bits left behind after browning the chicken add flavor to the creamy onion sauce.
More One Pan Dinner Ideas You’ll Love
Make It Your Own
This one pan chicken recipe is easy to adjust using what you already have.
- Add sliced mushrooms with the onions.
- Stir baby spinach into the finished sauce.
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.
- Add shredded white cheddar for an extra-rich sauce.
- Mix crispy bacon into the crushed chip topping.
- Add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes for heat.
- Replace the chives with thinly sliced green onions.
- Use plain potato chips if sour cream and onion chips are unavailable.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Keep extra crushed chips in a separate container so they do not become soggy.
Reheat the chicken gently in a covered skillet over low heat. Add a splash of chicken broth if the sauce becomes too thick. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave at reduced power.
Add fresh crushed potato chips after reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well in this recipe. Their cooking time may vary depending on their thickness, so cook them until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
Can I make this with leftover chicken?
Yes. Prepare the onions and sauce as directed, then add sliced or shredded cooked chicken during the final few minutes. Heat it gently until warmed through.
Why did my sour cream sauce separate?
The skillet was probably too hot. Reduce the heat to low before adding the sour cream, temper it with some of the warm broth, and do not let the sauce boil.
Can I make it ahead?
You can prepare the chicken and sauce in advance, but wait to add the crushed chips until serving. Reheat the chicken gently over low heat before adding the topping.
What type of sour cream should I use?
Full-fat sour cream produces the creamiest, most stable sauce. Reduced-fat sour cream may be used, but the sauce will be slightly thinner and more likely to separate. Avoid fat-free sour cream.
Final Thoughts
This one pan sour cream and onion chicken recipe turns simple chicken breasts into a creamy, comforting dinner with plenty of savory onion flavor. The chicken stays tender, the skillet sauce is rich and tangy, and the crushed sour cream and onion chips add the perfect crunchy finish.
It is quick enough for a busy weeknight, uses everyday ingredients, and leaves you with only one skillet to clean. Serve it over mashed potatoes or buttered noodles for an easy chicken dinner the whole family will want again.
